VIDEO: Anti-bullying messages at Sleaford schools will reveal themselves on rainy days

One of the revealed slogans at Kesteven and Sleaford High School. EMN-171005-162938001

Published:16:42Wednesday 10 May 2017

Share this article

Organisers behind a new initiative in North Kesteven are hoping for rain to reveal specially designed motivational anti-bullying messages in local schools.

YouthNK, the Youth Council within the district, have stepped up their anti-bullying campaign by inscribing a selection of five inspirational messages as part of the Smile, anti-bullying campaign which is focused on addressing bullying and raising self-esteem in young people across the district.

Using an anti-graffiti paint system called Rainworks, members of YouthNK spread the messages on pavements around Kesteven and Sleaford High School in Sleaford as well as North Hykeham’s North Kesteven School last week. The slogans are only visible when wet, in the hope that students will see them and feel inspired, or have a positive impact on the way they feel on a wet and rainy day as they cross the school yard.

Working alongside the Youth Council, the idea of using the Rainworks product initially came from NKDC’s Multimedia Apprentice, Jessica Barker.

She said: “Having personally been affected by bullying, I wanted to find a way to provide other young people suffering from bullying or low self-esteem a little sign that they are enough and that things will get better, particularly on rainy days when things can seem hopeless. I loved Rainwork’s goal: to give people a reason to smile on rainy days, and thought it fit perfectly into this concept.”

The anti-bullying campaign is just one of the priorities of the Youth Council.

Kesteven and Sleaford High School students reveal their slogans. EMN-171005-162252001

Josephine Smith, Head of Kesteven and Sleaford High School said it had already got students talking. Students were helped to stencil the slogans and test them out with water bombs. She said: “They have been put in places where there is a lot of student traffic and we are hoping for rain so we will see them again.”

Other schools involved are the Sir Robert Pattinson School in North Hykeham and St George’s Academy at Ruskington.

If you would like to find out more about the campaign, or the work of YouthNK visit www.youthnk.co.uk